Property boss jailed over sale of 'unsafe' flats

Wayne Murfet was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Ipswich Crown Court

A property developer who put "lives at risk" by falsifying building work documents and selling "unsafe" flats has been jailed.

Wayne Murfet, director of Lors Homes, supplied 36 fake building control completion certificates for flats on a complex called The Grosvenor, in High Street, Newmarket, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The flats were inspected by West Suffolk Building Control and found to be in breach of building regulations, while concerns relating to fire safety were also raised.

Stefanie Seaton, who bought a flat, told the court she "felt powerless, vulnerable and kept in the dark."

Recorder Emma Nash sentenced Murfet, 41, of Freckenham Road, Chippenham, Ely, to three and a half years in prison - and disqualified him from being a director of a company for seven years.

During a sentencing hearing at Ipswich Crown Court victims of Murfet said their flats are now worthless

Murfet was charged with multiple counts of fraud by dishonesty and intending to make a gain by failing to disclose information he was under a legal duty to disclose - and making or supplying an article for fraud.

'Fundamentally dishonest'

Following an investigation, he was also found to have supplied a fake certificate for a property in Cambridgeshire through his other company, Murfet (Burrough Green) Limited.

Murfet denied the offences but was convicted in July after Suffolk Trading Standards brought the case before magistrates in Colchester.

The court heard buyers purchased their properties believing them to have been signed off and safe.

However, West Suffolk Building Control had to install a 24-hour waking watch at the property over concerns.

The plot has since been sold and West Suffolk Building Control is now working with the flat owners to make changes to the site.

Ms Nash said: "I take into your account your good character and that your family has lost much because of your criminality.

"But you were fundamentally dishonest with those buyers and your aim was to make sales as soon as possible."

Stefanie Seaton and Robyn Phillips, pictured outside Ipswich Crown Court, say they are pleased with the sentence given to Murfet

During the sentencing, prosecutor Andrew Copeland said Murfet had shown a "flagrant disregard" and that his actions had resulted in “a risk to life" which was placed at an "intolerable level”.

Julian Christopher KC, defending, said that while "there is no escaping the fact the development has been a huge and distressing failure", Murfet "expected genuine certificates would be issued" at some point.

The court also heard Murfet could have made about £5m had he have sold all 36 of the flats for which he created fake building completion documents.

'Crippling stress'

Ms Seaton, 35, who addressed the court, said she purchased her flat from Murfet for £165,000 just after the death of her father.

She said: "I had to live for several weeks in the winter without heating and the stress became so great my GP signed me off work for mental health reasons.

"Dangerous shortcuts were made purely for profits and for four years I felt trapped and afraid to live in a building that was so high-risk.

"I felt powerless, vulnerable and kept in the dark. The pride I felt in buying my flat has been replaced with shame."

Robyn Phillips, 30, who told the court her flat was now valued at £20,000 despite a mortgage of £140,000, said she was living in a "never-ending nightmare".

"When I first moved in I was so happy and felt very proud but everything changed and the months were scary, uncertain and full of stress, tears and worry," she said.

"I have never felt such a weight on my shoulders and when people asked where I lived I didn’t want to tell them because I was upset and embarrassed.

“I couldn’t fall asleep at night because I was worried about the building falling down around me and I didn’t feel safe in my own home.

"It took over my whole life and I had days where I couldn’t eat and mornings where I couldn’t get myself out of bed because the stress of the situation was crippling."

Senior Suffolk Trading Standards officer, Sharon Titford-Keller, said she was pleased with the outcome of the investigation

Senior Suffolk Trading Standards officer, Sharon Titford-Keller, said the case had had "a significant impact on the witnesses, not just the financial costs but also the emotional stress and worry".

"Hopefully this sentence will send a message out that you can’t do this here and we will investigate, we will pursue and we will take you to court," she said.

"We are only here today because of the witnesses that come forward and are willing to provide their statements and that’s not an easy thing to do."